Should I Be Concerned About Treating My Teenager's Pain With Narcotics?

Question: Should I Be Concerned About Treating My Teenager's Pain With Narcotics?

Answer: There are instances when it is appropriate to treat a teenager in pain with narcotics. Such examples are injuries, such as broken bones, or perhaps having one's tonsils out when in short term use of narcotics is really indicated. Chronic pain conditions such as pain that might occur with cancer or may occur with sickle cell crises are often best treated with therapies that include narcotic therapy. However, for most chronic pain syndromes in teenagers, they are managed with therapies that include medications and treatments other than narcotics.